The UK Advertising Standards Authority has launched an investigation into PlayOJO Casino, a casino operated by SkillOnNet Limited, over a complaint of the casino releasing misleading adverts.
Specifically, the complaint was made because of a “hot or cold” feature that allowed players to see whether or not a casino game has recorded a winning streak. According to the PlayOJO website, players may switch between hot and cold mode to determine which games have been the most profitable in the last hour of play, with information being updated every 5 minutes.
The core of the complaint lied specifically with a TV advert promoting the feature, which depicted a tarot reader giving gamblers advice as they were using the PlayOJO mobile app.
PlayOJO responded to the complaint, stating that no request has been made to remove the hot or cold option from the game. However, the casino had also stated that certain changes to the marketing procedure are in the works, and have taken down the related promotions as a result.
A Shift In the Wind
UK casino operators are being closely scrutinized. Throughout the country, the standards of the gambling business are exceptionally high, and a number of organizations are working hard to ensure that they remain at that level.
Because several restrictions are regarded to be obsolete, the government is preparing for the long-awaited review of the Gambling Act 2005, which is expected to take place in the near future.
Following the study, a long report commissioned by the Industry Group for Responsible Gaming revealed that gambling personnel are not appropriately trained when it comes to identifying problem gamblers, which was published in December.
This research has been hailed as a "wake-up call" for the gambling sector, and Tom Watson, previously deputy leader of the Labour Party, has described it as "awful." According to the research, not only is personnel undertrained, but the organization also believes that the measures associated with problem gambling are inapplicable.
Additionally, the investigation discovered that responsible gambling warnings are put in locations where customers cannot see them, and that staff perpetuates incorrect notions about slot lucky numbers by repeating them to customers.
GambleAware CEO Mark Etches noted that this is a clear wake-up call for the industry, and that all sectors must work together to ensure that employees and consumers are aware of where they may get help if they need it if they are experiencing problems.
